A Harsh Lesson
by Drake Darkduke
Summary: Illaoi wasn't always the amazonian woman everyone knows her as. As it happens, though, there's a reason she became such a fighter.


Bilgewater. Land of the worst scum to roam Valoran. A safe haven for pirates, traitors and criminals. Among the dense fog of the early morning, a young voice could be heard. "Accept the Lord inside of you! Follow the teachings of the Mother!" A girl, for that's the only way one could describe someone so small and weak looking, was preaching for all to hear, her weak voice dying mere meters from her, the thick fog swallowing the noise.

The residents of Bilgewater barely spared a glance at her before rushing past. Some stared a second longer, wondering if the metal idol set on a pillar behind the girl was worth something, before dismissing the idea. It looked heavy, and the only aspects worth of note were the intricate design (for it looked like the head of some sort of creature) and the dim green stone set inside the idol. Not really worth the effort.

After a day of unsuccessfully preaching the word of her god to the crowds, Illaoi (for that was the girl's name) slowly walked back to the tent she was sleeping in. She had come from the Serpent Isles to spread the word of Nagakabouros, but it seemed that the residents of Bilgewater weren't too interested.

It was the first day of preaching, so Illaoi wasn't discouraged.

XxX

The scene repeated daily, Illaoi preaching for hours on end with no results. 'Maybe,' she thought ' Bilgewater residents just need a more personal touch' decided, she went back to her tent to prepare.

XxX

Dave Sparrow was awoken by a knock at his door. He dearly hoped it wasn't his brother Jack, back again to wail about his misfortunes with his crew members. At least HE was a pirate captain. Dave wasn't even accepted aboard a ship, the other pirates still believing he brought bad luck! Just because the first boat sank and everyone died except him... And the second got attacked by a group of the usually extremely solitary Sea Serpents... And the third was crushed by a stray meteorite...

"What do yeh want?" His bad mood was evident in his tone.

"Do you have a moment to speak about our Lord and Savior Nagakabouros?" Dave blinked and lowered his gaze to look into the eyes of the small girl at his door. Without a second glance he slammed the door in her face. "Is that a no? I can come later if you want!" Dave simply ignored her, grumbling to himself about lousy brother, lousy luck and lousy door to door salesmen. Or religion women. Whatever.

XxX

Illaoi frowned at the nth door in the face. She took a deep breath and set her shoulders. She would not be discouraged.

XxX

Weeks passed and Illaoi was getting real tired of this shit. Door after door after door was shut in her face before she could even speak.

Deep breath.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Exhale.

She knocked on the door before her. "Hello, do you have a momen-" 'SLAM' With a furious shout and the strength of her anger, she lifted the heavy metal idol she was dragging and slammed it into the door. Suddenly several tentacles sprouted from the ground and swung at the door smashing it and the entirety of the front wall near it to timber.

The shell shocked resident who had barely evaded the crash was staring at Illaoi in fear. "I'll listen! I'll listen!" Illaoi, equally shocked, nevertheless smiled as she began telling the man all about her god.

As she returned to her tent, she noticed the idol she dragged behind her was glowing an eerie green, and two small tentacles were writhing from its mouth.

She smiled again.

XxX

Dave was awoken by a knock at the door. He cursed loudly. Seems that priestess girl was at it again. Dammit, it had almost seemed like she had stopped a couple months before, but apparently not. He swung the door open, his anger apparent. "Spirits take you! What do... You..." He had expected a small girl. He had NOT expected the giant of a woman before him. He squeaked.

Illaoi smiled down at him. "Move!" She swung her idol.

XxX

"I'm not a fan of sermons- Broken bones teach better lessons."


End file.
